Cotton-chopper



(No Model.) v I f J. L. MGGAUL. COTTON GHOPPBR.

No. 464,'179. Patented Dec. l1, 1891 FIGA- jr as lwmldww UNrrsn STAT-Es PATENT GFFICE.

JAMES L. MCGAUL, OF ABILENE, TEXAS. y

COTTON-CHOPPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 464,179, dated December 1, 1891.

ton-Chopper, o f which the following isa speciiicat-ion.

regulating the distance between the stands of cotton.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description;

and the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter specified, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 isa plan of a cotton-chopper constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is avertical longitudinal section. Fig. 3 is a transverse section. Fig. 4 is a plan in detail of the two cutting-disks.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

In constructing the frame for the machine I employ a pair of opposite longitudinal side bars 1, connecting the same at their front ends by cross-bar 2, at their centers by crossbar 3, and at their rear ends by a cross-bar 4. Bearings 5 in the side bars 1 have journaled therein for rotation an axle 6, which beyond its bearings has ,mounted thereon groundwheels 7. The center and rear cross-bars 3 and 4 have pivotally connected therewith, as at 8, a pair of stirrups 9, longitudinally disposed and located at opposite sides of the center of the frame-work, below which framework the stirrups depend, and near their centers are provided with bearings 10. Upon the side bars above the axle is mounted a transverse arch 11, having openings 12 at each side of its center, through which depend vertical shafts 13, which are stepped in the bearings-10 of the stirrups 9. Upon each of the shafts 13 is mounted a beveled gear 14, the samebeing preferably located adjacent to the stirrups, which gears are engaged and,

Application filed July 10, 1891. Serial No. 399,040. (No model.)V

together with the shafts, are driven byapair of beveled gears 15. The upper ends of the` vertical shafts are connected by a yoke 16, adjusting -nuts 17 being located upon the shafts above and below said yoke.

Interposed between the yoke and the arch and looselyswiveled upon a short shaft 18, depending from the yoke loosely through an opening inthe arch, is a rotatable cam 19, bifurcated upon its under side to embrace the arch and having the diagonally-opposite edges of its bifurcations inclined to form opposite cam-faces 20. The cam is provided with an 'operati ng-handle21,which extends rearwardly in close proximity and within easy reach of the operator, who during the operation of the machine occupies the seat 22, which is sup-- ported by a standard 23, extending upwardly from the rear bar 4 of the frame-work. By grasping the lever 21 and rotating the same the cam-faces 2O ride up the opposite edges of the arch, thus elevating the yoke and vertical shafts and the beveled pinions 14. By this means the operator is enabled to raise and lower the vertical shafts with the pinions,

so that the latter are thrown out of and into mesh with the large gearsrof the axle.

Below the stirrups upon the lower ends of the vertical shafts are mounted rotary cutting-disks 24, said disks being provided attheir centers with square'openings for vthe reception of the square portions of the shafts, below which said shafts are nutted, asv at 25, whereby the disks may be removed. These disks have their peripheries provided at intervals with notches or'recesses 26, andthe number of the same may be incwease'd.ered-ia'.V

minished over those shown. Thedisks running in contact will cut or chop out those portions of the plant occurring betweenthe IOO l short pivotal link 29, from which rises a cranked rod 30 Within reach of the driver. By operating the cranked rod the driver is enabled to spread or contract the stirrups in accordance with the direction of rotation of said rod, as will be obvious. In the opposite side bars l, near the front ends thereof, there are journaled, as at 32, the reduced ends 33 ot' a rock-shaft 34. From the rock-shaft rearwardly extends a handle 35, the same terminating Within reaching distance of the driver when mounted upon the seat.

extend rearwardly from the rock-shaft, and at their rear curved ends have secured a pair of converging shovels or scrapers 37, the inner edgesor points oi'l which are forwardly disposed, as at 3.8. atitsinner side Wtha series ofy notchesY 3,9, designed to engage abar 40.

This. being the construction, the operation isasffolloiwsu; The machine being set. inmotiQn-t-hc; Gam-vis operated, so asto'adj ust the cutterstothe proper. height, and thc'crank-rod rotated-,.soas1o sWi ng the sti rrupsinwardly unf tilithe pinionsltare. in engagemen-tf-with the.A drivin-ggears 15.-. The scrapersarefnowlowr. ered-until they penetrate the-desired depth. It`

Will-be seen thatthescrapers remove all-cotton, eXeeptth-atfportion thereof that is permitted to pass `between them, and that the cutters chop atirntervals sections of. the cottonor rowf, thus leaving stands` of cotton at; predetermined and uniformdistances apart. By. this. it will bescen .th-atztheimachine is adapted to vchop in both directions simultaneously, and it isa great advantage over thev ordinary mannerof hand-chopping by hoe, thus causing a greatv savngof time .and labor anduperforming the choppingin amore uniform ande'iicientman-v ner. ltfwll baseen that, the small cogs 14 maybe located'. at the uppersides ofrthe driv-l ing-gearsulty in lieu of the posit-ionshown, the operation being the same. Itwill also bey seen thatfas-.the two vertical cutter-shafts are raised.

andalewered the small cogs lt, being slidingly mountedthereon, though adapted to rotate thclewith,vwill remain stationary and-in meshwith the driving-gears. When the chopping has been completed and it is desired to trans,- port the machine from the eldof operation, the;y lever 35. is. elevated, so as to raise the scrapersfromthe ground, andis thrown into Scraper-stand, ards 36, a pair of which are employed, also Thelever 35 isprovi'ded locked engagement with the locking-bar.- The ends of the shafts, and cogs` uponthe shafts.

above thecuttersmf;means:-forspreadingthe stirru ps, an axleand; driving-gears.. mounted onthe axlefandlocatedrin thepathof vthecogs, substantially asfspecitied'.

2.- Inv aY cottonachopper, the ccmbinaticm. With thet'rame-work, the transverse axlaand.

the driving-gearsA thereomof. the depending pi ,votedf sti rru ps, the. vertical shafts journaledinthe stirrups, thacog-wheelsfmountedaontbe th efdisk cutters .located upon:` the` lewe-rf.l ends 8o ofy the, shafts, the oppositeleverspivoted to the sti rru ps, the intermediate conn'ecti'rrgrlink,

and the vertical crank-shaft securedg tof-theV link, substantially as specified.V

3. In. a cotton-chopper., -t-he.- cembinati'on,V

with the rectangnlartr-ame havngthetranrsf verse arch, the aXleha-vin g the groundwfheels.,V and thed rive-gears mounted.- on thermale, of

the opposite pivoted; depending; stirrups,y shafts journaled. in the archV and s ti'rrups andadaptedv for.- vertical reciprocation, coges mounted on. the shafts.andengagingthegearsof the axle, the rotarycutters.l f-.xedg tcthe,l

lower-ends of thesh-afts, the-.transv-.erse-yolre connecting the upper ends ofV theshaftsabove the arch, and the bifurcatedf cam` pivotedto the yoke and; stradd'ling.- thearch; andi pro-v videdwithalever for operating thesa-m e sub stantially.as-specified.

In testimonyfthat I c lairnthe` foregoing. as. my own ,1. havehefretoaftixed my signature in presencev of two Witnesses.

JAMES L. MGCAUL..." Witnesses z,

E. S. KEAN, E. H. SIN-TENIS.

IOO 

